Tunisia: Tunisian political party loses 9 seats in constituent assembly following defections

TUNIS, (Xinhua): Two days after an administrative court ruled in favor
of the Aridha Chaabia (Popular Petition party) attributing it seven
seats which were initially cancelled by the country's independent
electoral commission, its nine members decided to leave the party to set
up independent lists, Radio Express FM reported on Friday.

In a statement released on Friday, the dissenting members said that
the party's chairman, London-based millionaire Hechmy Hamdi no longer
represented them, Radio Express FM reported.

As a result of the defection, the party has 16 seats out of the
initial 25, relegating it to the fourth place in the constituent
assembly's makeup.

Hamdi who was blamed for links with the ousted president, as well as
for his populist policies, announced on Wednesday that he would return
to Tunisia on Saturday.

The Aridha Chaabia has been excluded from recent talks to form a new
government among the country's three leading parties. Ennahdha,
Tunisia's main Islamic party that claimed a sweeping win in the polls,
has already announced that it would not deal with the Aridha Chabiaa.